Record changer



Oct. 3l, 1950 A, M KASNOWICH 2,527,936

RECORD CHANGER A Filed Jan. 17, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 d C) N e INVENTOR.

Oct. 31, 1950 A, M KAsNowlCl-l 2,527,936

RECORD CHANGER Filed Jan. 1'?, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

OC. 31, 1950 A. M KASNQWICH 2,527,936

RECORD CHANGER Filed Jan. 1'?, 1947 Y 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

Oct. 3l, 1950 A, M KAsNowlCl-l 2,527,936

RECORD CHANGER Filed Jan. 17, 1947 8 sheets-sheet 4 57 12g Q lilll A 52if INI/EN TOR.

Oct. 3l, 1950 A. M. KAsNowlcl-l RECORD CHANGER Filed Jan. l', 1947 8Sheets-Sheet 5 "lllllllmmn:mulllllillimlllilllullnun '""llllllf IN VENTOR.

KM MHK M Oct. 31, 1950 A, M KASNQWlCH 2,527,936

RECORD CHANGER Filed Jan. 17, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 l\ @E @y @Mw/Q@ oct.31, 1*,950 I A, M KASNQWICH K 2,527,936

RECORD CHANGER Filed Jan. 17, 1947 l 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 Q INVENTOR. V12220@ //fwozz/M Oct. 31, 1950 A. M. KAsNowlcH 2,527,936

RECORD CHANGER Filed Jan. l'T, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 my,/////////////////////////////////m l. @l w WN atentec ct. 31?, IIJ

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I aszw Y v RECORD CHANGER Anthony M.Keeno-wich, Grana' Rapids, Mieli.; assigner to A M I Incorporated,Ghiag, Ill., aiv

corporation of Michigan Application January 17, 1947, seriai izaog Thepresent invention relates to record changers for phonographs andspecically to an automatic phonograph record changer of the generalcharacter disclosed in United States Reissue Patent Number 21,514,reissued July 23, 1940 to the Automatic Instrument Company, assignee ofClifford H. Green, deceased.

An automatic phonograph of the type under consideration is adapted toafford a large number of selections and to play either side of eachrecord. The broad functions of the record changer are to select a givenrecord disc and to take it from a magazine, to lay one side or the otheron a playing turntableyto remain idle "during record playing, to takethe record from the turntable and to return it to the magazine, then torepeat the cycle of operations until the desired program is completed.These functions are performed by the following units:

1. A record rack or magazine in which there are stored a plurlity ofrecord discs constituting the available selections;

2. A selector device and associated equipment which responds to thedeposit of each 'coin unit by a customer and/or to a manual selectingoperation in such manner as to cause the record magazine to move and toplace the selected record in a position where it can be grasped andplaced on the phonograph turntable, this position being hereinafterreferred to as the transfer positio 3. A transfer mechanism and gripperassembly for gripping the selected record upon its attainment of thetransfer position and placing iton the phonograph turntable, thismechanism also being operable to return the record to the magazine uponthe completion of its play. These two phases of operation arehereinafter referred to as the delivery phase and the return phase;

4. A motor for driving the record rack and the transfer mechanism;

5. A control mechanism for moving the record magazine when a selectionis made and for stopping the magazine when the selected record discreaches the transfer position; i

6. MeansV for causing the transfer mechanism to be driven in onedirection during the record delivery phase;

`rZ. Means for causing the transfer mechanism to be driven in thereverse direction during the record return phase;

8. A phonograph proper, consisting of a tone arm and a turntable forplaying `the record so selected, transferred and delivered; and 9. Aturntable driving motor.

4 claims. (c1.v 274-40) The broad object of the present invention is toprovide an improved, simplified record changer structure, particularlyin the transfer mechanism and record gripping assembly and in the.mechanism for so controlling the transfer mechanism as to cause thedesired side of a record disc to be played. Ancillary objectives underthis broad object are to reduce the number of parts, to cut downmanufacturing costs and to provide a record changer of maximumreliability and durability.

An additional vobject of the invention is to provide a simplifiedandimproved transfer andgripper mechanism for assuring-a rm grasp oneach record disc before it is transported.

` Another broad object of the invention is to provide lan improvedmechanism for causing the gripperl assembly to turn in one directionorrthe other during transportation of the record between magazine andturntable, thus to determine which side of a record disc will be played.

The automatic record changer herein disclosed is similar in its broadgeneral aspects to that disclosed in the above-mentioned reissue patentto Green. It departs from the Green structure primarily in thearrangement of the transfer mech'- anism and in the arrangement of theYmechanism for causing one side or the otherof a record disc to beplayed. Y

Other objects, advantages and capabilities. o the invention. will becomeapparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings, inwhich there is fully disclosed one illustrative embodiment of myinvention.

In the drawings; Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing` a complete automaticphonograph changer embodying a preferred form of the invention; Fig. 2is a front elevational sectional view of the transfer mechanismincludedin the Fig. 1 embodimentas takenon line 2 2 of Fig. 1 andlooking in the direction ofthe arrows, showing the conditions whichexist before a record disc is grasped and transferrered from the recordmagazine to the turntable, and after a record disc has been returned andreleased to the magazine; Fig. 3 is a right end elevational view of thetransfer mechanism included in the Fig. 1 embodiment, showing themechanism provided for determining the side of a record disc to beplayed, this view being taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a topplan view of the guide member which lcooperates with elements on themushroom for stabilizing the mushroom and gripper assembly before andafter the phase of record transfer which determines which side of Fig.1). .positionthe magazine stops. Vazine is arrested from a forwardmotion, the

3 the record will be played; Fig. 5 is a view, taken from the rear,showing the cam for spreading the gripper members and the gear whichactuates that cam; Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the novel transfermechanism provided in accordance with the invention; Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10,l1, l2 and 13 are front elevational views of the transfer mechanismshowing, respectively, the positions of its parts during the followingphases of its cycle of operation: When a record disc has been graspedbut before it begins to be transported from the record magazine to theturntable (Fig. 7), when the record disc has been transportedapproximately halfway from the magazine to the turntable (Fig. 8), whenthe record disc has undergone the twisting operation but has not yetbeen placed on the turntable (Fig. 9), when the record disc has beenplaced on the turntable but not yet released by the grippers (Fig. 10),when the record disc has been released so that playing is ready to begin(Fig. l1), when record play has been completed and the record disc isagain grasped by the gripper mechanism (Fig. 12), and when the recorddisc has been transported back to the magazine but not yet released(Fig. 13, Fig. 2 showing the last phase of the cycle and the beginningphase of the next cycle) Fig. 14 is a top sectional view of the grippermechanism, taken onl line Ill-I4 of Fig. 13

and looking in the direction of the arrows (in Fig.

I4 the gripper assembly 42 has'been rotated through 90o in the directionindicated by the arrow from the position which it normally assumes,under the conditions illustrated in Fig. 13, this convention having beenassumed for the purpose of showing clearly the construction of thegripper members I8 and l'l, the springs 82, and the gripper actuatingmember B9 and Fig. 15 is a View of t-he mushroom 33 showing theinteraction of the mushroom 33 and the ballplunger when the rear side ofa record disc is to be played.

Referring first to Fig. 1 the record changer comprises a metallic base2G, a reciprocating record disc magazine 2l, a-.playing turntable 22, atone arm 24, an electrircrdriving Ymotor and a transfer mechanism 25. Y

The record discs representing the various selections are placed in thecompartments of the magazine 2i, six of which are shown and indicatedgenerally at 2l, 28, 23, 39, 3|, 32 lfor purposes of illustration.This'recordchanger plays both sides of each disc, so that twelveselections would be available in therillustrative embodiment shown. Itwill be understood that in commerical practice a larger number ofselections is made available, forty for example. When a selection ismade, motor 25 drives the record magazine forwardly and/or rearwardlywith a reciprocating motion until, the selected record disc attains thetransfer position (the record in compartment being shown in thatposition in When the selected record reaches that If the record magfrontside of that record disc is played. If the magazine is arrested from arearward motion, the the rear side of the record is played. The selectoror means by which the selection is made, the shafts and gearing by whichmotor 25 drives magazine 2l, and the clutches and controls by whichmotor 25 and magazine 2l are coupled when a selection is made anduncoupled when the selected record reaches the transfer position are notherein shown for the reason that they are fully disclosed in theaforementioned Green reissue patent and are therefore well known tothose skilled in the art.

When the selected record reaches the transfer position it is grasped bythe transfer mechanism 26 and placed on the turntable 22 with the properside up, so that the desired selection is played. Motor 25 also drivesthe transfer mechanism. A motion train between the transfer mechanism 26and the tone arm 24 causes the tone arm to be placed in playing positionas the selected record disc is laid on the turntable and to be liftedoff the turntable as the record is returned to the magazine.

`When the record has been played motor 25 again drives the transfermechanism and causes .the tone arm 24 to be lifted off of the recorddisc and the record disc to be returned to the turntable. The means forcoupling motor 25 to the transfer mechanism When the record disc attainsthe transfer position, the control means for actuating the couplingmeans, the means for coupling the motor to the transfer mechanism afterrecord play is completed, and the control means for actuating thelast-mentioned means, as well as the means for causing the transfermechanism to stop at the end of the record delivery and record returnphases, andthe motion train between the transfer mechanism 26 and thetone arm 24 need not be here shown or described, for the reason thatthey are fully disclosed in the aforementioned Green patent and/or in mycopending application Serial No. 668,682, led in the United StatesPatent Office on MayV 10, 1946, entitled Automatic Phonograph andassigned to the assignee of the present application and invention. Myinvention resides in improvements in the transfer and gripper actuatingmechanism 26, and in the mechanism for causing the mushroom33 (Fig. 1)to twist the record in one direction oranother during transportationbetween the magazine and turntable as well as in various combinations ofmy novel mechanisms with other record'changer components. Reference ismade to the aforesaid Green reissue patent and my said Dependingapplication for a complete description of those parts of the recordchanger which need not be herein illustrated or described in detail indisclosing the present invention.

In view of the art to which reference has been made, the detaileddisclosure of this invention begins by pointing out that shaft 34 (Fig.l) turns in aclockwise direction, as seen from the right ,I side,whenever a record disc is to be grasped and moved, whether from themagazine to the turntable or from the turntable to the magazine. Shaft34 carries a Worm 35 which intermeshes with a worm wheel 36 on a shaft31, driving wheel 3S and shaft 31 in a counterclockwise direction asseen from the front. Shaft 3l carries for rotation a gear 38,accordingly driven in a counterclockwise direction. Gear 38 intermesheswith a gear 39, carried on a shaft 48 (Figs. 2 and 3). Gear 39 rotatesin a clockwise direction as seen from the front, whenever a record discis grasped and moved, whether from the magazine to the turntable or fromthe turntable to the magazine. The means by which gear 39 is powered atthe proper times is fully disclosed in my aforesaid copendingapplication. The above summary description thereof is sufficient for thepurposes of disclosing the present invention.

It will be seen that gear 35 roughly corresponds to element 102 of myaforesaid copending application in that it may be regarded as the sourceof the various motion trains. Shaft 34 is, of course, powered by motorand is coupled or uncoupled vto the motor at the proper times forcausing record-disc delivery to the turntable and recorddisc return tothe magazine.

One broad function of gear 39'1is to drive the :transfer mechanism andto cause mushroom 33 (Fig. 2) and the gripper assembly, generallyindicated at 42, to turn clockwisel about an axis parallel toshaft 4Dwhen a record disc is transported from the magazine to the turntable(Figs. 1 and 14), and to turn counterclockwise when the disc is returnedto the magazine. The motion tr-ain for this task begins at gear 39(Fig. 1) and con-;4

The side of the record disc to be laid down on the turntable isdetermined by a guiding mechanism 56 (Fig. 3) which cooperates withgrooves i 51 and 58 on the mushroom 33 to twist the record disc in onedirection or the other about the transverse bore axis of the barrelduring transportation. The novel transfer mechanism illustrated in Figs.2, 3, 5, '7, 8, 9, l0, ll, l2 and 13l assures that the record disc willbe firmly tinues through a pin 44 on gear 39- (Fig. 2), a

Isector gear (Fig-3) a gear 4 5 (Fig. 6) and an- `lowing conditions aresatisfied:

First, gear 39 is turning; second, the gripper assembly 42 has grasped`a record disc; third, pin 44 is moving sector gear 45.

Another broad function of gear 39 is to power the gripper assembly torelease a record disc. The motion train for this purpose begins at gear39 and proceeds through pin 44, sector gear 55, gear 5| and gear 52. Theimmediate function of gear 41 is to turn the gripper assembly about thepivotal bore axis of barrel 48. The function of gear 52 is to actuatethe gripper mechanism in such a manner that, before the barrel startstoturn in order to transport a record disc, the

record disc is securely gripped, and also in such a manner that, after arecord disc has been transported either to the turntable or to themagazine, the gripper assembly will be so actuated as to release therecord disc. during any cycle of the operation of the transfermechanism, gear 52 first turns, then gears 41 and 52 rotate insynchronism, then gear 41 stops while gear 52 continues to rotate andfinally gear 52 stops. In accordancewith my invention l have provided anovel mechanism comprising gear 39, sector gears 45 and 58, pin.44, andgears 46 and 5| for causing gears 41 and 52 to behave in this manner.

and arrange gears 4.5 and 5|) that gear 5i! starts to move before gear45 does, that gears 5i) and 45 next turn together, that gear 45 thenstops and that gear 58 continues to turn, finally stopping.

It should be noted that the` ln short,

In furtherance of this objective, I so dispose gears 46 and 5| that theyintermesh with v gripped before transportation"between magazine andkturntable and also performs the transporting operation. The mushroomguiding mechvanism illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10 and l1 hasnovel features assuring long wear, vsmooth action'and reliability.Particular attention is directed to these features as the detaileddescription-proceeds.

- lReferring now specifically to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 14,` a transferhead casting 80 is secured to base 28 by screws 6| and 62 (Fig. 2). vThetop portionv of this casting is vmachined to receive a cylindricalbronze bearing 53' (Fig. 14), the bearing being rigidly fitted andsecured to that bore and eX- vtending in a front-back direction.Journaled for -rotation Vwithin that bearing is a concentric hollowcylindrical pivot portion 64 of barrel 48. Barrel 48 has the generalshape of a pipe T-joint,

and comprises the portion 64 on which it is rotatably mounted and ahollow cylindrical portion 65 defining its transverse bore. Gear 41Y isintegral with the portion 64, whereby when gear 41 is rotated about anaxis concentric with portion 64 the whole barrel 48 rotates relative tothat axis to transport a record disc between magazine and turntable. Asplit-ring lock washer 66 embraces a reduced portion of gear 41 (Figs. 2and 1,4).y

Integral with gear 52 is a cylindrical shank 61, rotatably mountedwithin the front-back bore defined by portionV 54 of the barrel. shank61 is formed as a flat cam 68, best shown in Figs. 5 and 14. kThefunction of this cam is .to spread the gripper-actuating members 59 andkgear 41 causes cam 88 to turn relative to the .gripper-actuatingmembers 69 and 12, withthe result that the grippers are released from arecord disc. Fig. 14 shows the positions of the parts when a record discis grasped by the grippers.

There are provided an inner gripper member 10,

vandv an outer gripper member 1|, actuated to In other words, initialrotation of gear 52 relative to gear 41 before rotation of gear 41subsequent rotation of gears 41 and 52 in synchronism and final rotationof gear 52 .alone are effected byinitial. motion of gear 58, subsequentgrip or release the record disc at the proper times.

The construction and operation of grippers per se,

such as elements 15 and 1|, are well lrnownto ,those skilled in thisart, and are clearly shown in the aforesaid reissue patent to Green, sothat furtherdescription is deemed unnecessary herein. The inner grippermember 1li engages one vedge of a record disc and the outer grippermember 1| has an arm which embraces the periphery Vrotatably mountedWithin the transverse bore of barrel 48 dened by its portion 55.

The gripperactuating member `12 has van integral rectangular :shank 81mountedfor slidable movement within a complementary square-shaped bore88 'in mushroom 33.v Thus, when mushroom 33'rotates about The head of.

7 the transverse axis of barrel 48, shank 81 and gripper actuator 12rotate in synchronism therewith. Actuating member 12 also has anintegral connecting rod 15, also formed, with a square section, slidablymounted Within a complementary square-shaped bore in actuating member69. Connecting rod 15 is secured to the inner gripper member asindicated at 16 (Fig. 14). Gripperactuating member 69 is integral withthe outer gripper member 1| and is formed with a pair ofl spring pockets80. The outer gripper member 10 is also formed with spring pockets 8 I.Springs 82 are compressed between these pockets and they tend so todisplace the gripper members that a record is grasped. That is, thecompression of springs 82 supplies the energy which causes a rrecorddisc to be gripped. The spreading of the grippers and release ofthe record disc are accomplished by rotation of cam 68, which spreadsapart f the gripper-actuating members 69 and 12. Mushroom 33 has anintegral cylindrical portion 84 mounted for rotation within thetransverse bore of barrel 48. Portion 84 is formed with an annulargroove 85 into which screw 86 slidably ts, whereby axial displacement ofthe mushroom Irelative to the barrel is prevented. By reason of thesquare cross sections of shank 81, connect- Aing rod 15, the internalbore of mushroom 33 and the internal bore of gripper-actuating member69, the whole gripper assembly 42, comprising members 10, 1|, 69, 82,15, 12, 81 and 33, rotates in unison about the transverse axis of thebarrel 43 whenever mushroom 33 is rotated about that Taxis. Members 12,81, and 10 move linearly in unison and members 1|, 59 always movelinearly in unison when a record disc is grasped or released.

The function of elements 41, 64 and 48, acting together, is to impart toa transported record a turning motion relative to the bore axis ofbearing 63. -The function of the mushroom 33 is to impart to the gripperassembly and transported record a twist or turning motion about thetrans- Iverse bore axis of the barrel 48. As a result of .these tworotations the record disc is transported from the transfer positionshown in Fig. 1, successively through the positions illustrated in Figs.f7, 8, 9, l0, 1l and 12 and placed on the turntable .so that it can beplayed. As a result of a similar combination of these two rotations, butin opposite directions, the record is returned from the positionillustrated in Fig. 12 to that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 at the endof record play, whereby it is again placed in the record magazine. Thus,it will be seen that the grippers 10 and 1| are mounted with twodegrees of controlled rotational freedom with respect to the transferhead 60.

The system of gearing by which gears 41 and "5'2 (Fig. 14) are driven isnext described. Gear 52 (Fig. 2) is in mesh with a gear 5|, mounted 'forrotation on a shaft 90 (Fig. 3) which shaft is rigidly secured to anintegral ear 9| on transfer head 60. Also mounted on shaft 90 is gear46. yA spacing washer 92 is disposed between gears 5| and 46. Lineardisplacement of gears 5| and 46 is prevented by a screw 93 and a washer94. Always in mesh with the teeth on gear 5| are the :teeth on a sectorgear 50. The lower portion of this sector gear projects through anopening 95 '.(Fig. 3) on base 20 and is pivotally mounted on la shaft96. This shaft is rigidly mounted by lock Vnuts 91 and 98 on a dependingportion 99 of the transfer head casting 60. Linear displacement -of gear50 relative to shaft 96 is prevented by a screw |00.

Sector gear 50 is formed with a longitudinally extending slot |0| withwhich pin 44 is fitted for slidable reciprocating motion. At the head ofthe pin are a washer |03 and a screw |04 (Fig. 3). Pin 44 is rigidlysecured to gear 38, whereby the rotary motion of gear 39'and pin 44causes pin 44 to exert force components transverse to gear 50, with theresult that the motion of Yrotation of gear 39 is converted intooscillatory motion of gear 50 and ultimately into rotation of gear 5,2.

Rotation of gear'41 is effected in a similar manner. Gear 46, whichdrives gear 41, is in mesh with a sector gear 45, also pivotally mountedon shaft 96 (Fig. 3). It has been seen that gear 50 is formed with astraight slot |0|. On the other hand, gear 45 is formed with agenerallyelliptical slot |06, with respect t0 which pin 44 is mounted forconsiderable play. YThis slot terminates at each end in straight slotportions |01, |08.

Figs. 1 and 2 show the conditions which prevail when a record hasattained the transfer position and before it is grasped by the gripperassembly. As gear 39 begins to turn in a clockwise direction pin44'rises and turns sector gear 50 clockwise. Accordingly, gear 5|rotates counterelockwise and gear 52 rotates clockwise, turning cam 68and causing the gripper elements 10 and 1| to clamp the record betweenthem. At this stage barrel 48 and gears 45, 46 and 41 are stationary,because pin 44 is not moving gear 45.

Fig. 7 shows the conditions which exist when the record has beengripped. Pin 44 is still causing gear 50 to rotate clockwise and the pinis now in contact with the straight portion |01 of slot |06, wherebymotion is imparted to gear 45. Gears 45 and 50 then turn clockwise inunison and barrel 48 starts to turn. Gears 41 and 52 also rotate insynchronism, whereby cam 68 does not rotate relative to barrel 48.Therefore the record disc remains securely gripped. The parts nowprogress from theposition shown in Fig. '1 tothat shown in Fig. 8,barrel 48 being rotated relative to the axis of bearing 63.

Referring now to Fig. 9, it will be seen that pin 44 is departing fromthe straight portion |01 `of slot |06 and that the record is about to belaid on the turntable in a proper position to be played.

Fig. 10 shows the conditions which exist as the record is laid on theturntable. Pin 44 is again in contact with the elliptical portion ofslot |06 so that the motion of gear 45 and therefore of gear 41 ceases.Accordingly, barrel 48 stops. But pin 44 is in close contact with slot|0| on gear -50 so that the motion of that gear continues. By reason ofthe continued motion of gear 50 the clockwise rotation of gear 52 andcam 39 continues, whereby the record disc is released from the grippermembers 10 and 1|.

Fig. 11 shows the conditions which exist after the record has beenreleased during record play.

It will be noted that' during the portions of the cycle of operationsillustrated in Figs. 2, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, the forces exerted by pin 44on the sector gears 45 and 50 have been such as to turn the sector gearstoward the right or clockwise as viewed from the front. When the recordis to be regripped pin 44 begins to exert forces in the oppositedirection with respect to those sector gears, gear 39 always turningclockwise. Initially, pin 44 drops in slot IOI from the positionillustrated in Fig. 11 to that shownin Fig. l2, causing sector gear 50to turn counterclockwise as seen from the front. Accordingly, gear '55|clockwise, whereby cam l58 is rotated counterclockwise and the recorddisc is regrip'ped (Fig. 14). The gears 45, 48 and 41 and barrel 48 arenow stationary since pin 44 is not exerting any force on sector gear 45.As pin 44 continues to progress downwardly With respect to slot IUI, itcomes into contact with the straight portion |08 of slot |05 and exertssuch force on sector gear 45 that the latter starts to turncounterclockwise. Accordingly, gears 46 and 41 then rotate in unison andbarrel 48 turns counterclockwise relative to the bore axis of bearing63. Gears 41 and 52 also rotate in synchronism so that the record discremains securely gripped. These conditions areillustrated in Fig. 12.When pin 44 is in slotl portion |08 its horizontal component of velocityis again a maximum.

Finally pin 44 starts to rise in slot I0| and it departs from slotportion |08 of slot |06, passing to the elliptical portion of the slot,whereby gear 45 stops (see Fig. 13). Accordingly, gears 46 and 41l andbarrel 48 stop and remain stationary. As pin` 44 rises from the positionshown in Fig. 13 to that shown in Fig. 2 itcontinues to turn gear 50counterclockwise, whereby gears 5| and 52 so rotate that cam 68 rotatescounterclockwise, releasing the record from thegrippers 10, 1| to therecord magazine. The cycle may then be repeated when it is desired toplay another record.

Thus it will be seen that in accordance with the invention T..haveprovided `a Vreliable and sure mechanism for transporting and assuring arm grip on the record disc during transportation from Athe magazinetothe turntable and again during transportation from the. turntable backtcthe record magazine. Y

-1 Also in accordance with the invention I provide a novel and improvedmechanism 58 for causing mushroom 33 andthe gripper assembly 42 to turnrelative to the transverse bore axis of barrel 48 during recordktransportation Iin such manner as to determine which side of a recorddisc will be played. Fig. 3 shows the conditions which exist when therear side of a record disc is to be played, for example. A guide memberI I is secured by screws ||2 and |I'3 (Fig. 3) to a platform portion ||4of transfer head 60. This guide member is generally arcuate in shape(Fig. 4) and it includes an integral upstanding projection I5 whichsuccessively slidably guides complementary grooves I I6 and formed onthe face of mushroom 33 as the mushroom progresses from the positionshown in Fig. 2, and through the positionsv shown in Figs. 7 and 8.During record delivery it is the function of projection ||5 and grooves||6 and ||1 to prevent any rotation of mushroom 33, relative to thetransverse bore of barrel 48, until the conditions shown in Fig. 8 havebeen attained, that is, until the transversebore of barrel 48-ha`sreached the vertical. After the transfer'mechanism attains thevconditions illustrated in Fig. 8 and while it is progressing to theconditions illustrated in Fig. 9,l that is, while it is passing from thevertical to a diagonal position, one' of the ball-shaped plungers I|9 or|20 (Fig. 15) enters its corresponding one of grooves 51 and 58, formedon the face of mushroom 33, causing the mushroom to rotate relative tothe transverse bore axis of the barrel 48. Letit be assumed, forexample','that the rear side of the record is to be played. Under thatassumed condition and as the transfer mechanism progresses from the Fig.8 'condition IIT (Fig. 3)

to the Fig. 9 condition ball-plunger'll9 enterslv groove 51 and pusheson side |60 of Vthegroove'. As the mushroom continues to. turn withand.'

groove 51 and then side |62 of the groove. 'This action causes themushroom to rotate in a coun-I` terclockwise direction (as viewed fromthe top) through ninety degrees whereby the rear side of the record discis laid in playing position. As the transfer mechanism progressesthrough the' conditions illustrated in Fig. 9, after this ninetydegreerotation relative'to the transverse bore axis of the barrel has beenimparted to mushroom 33, and as barrel 48 continues to rotate relativeto the bore of bearing 63 groove 51 departs from ball plunger I |'9 andthen integral lug |30 formed on the face of mushroom 33 enters and ridesin slot |24 (Fig. 4) formed in the end of guide member II I opposite tothe end on which upstanding lug ||5 is formed. The function of lug |30and slot |24 is to guide the mushroom and to prevent any further turningof the mushroomrelative 'to the transverse bore axis of barrel 48 asthe-record is nally laid on the turntable.

On the other hand, when the front side of aare diametrically opposed onthe face Vof the" mushroom 33. f

During return of the record from Vtheturntable to the record rack theangular position of the mushroom relative to the transverse bore'a'xislof barrel 48 is initially governed by the guided motion of projection|30 (when the rear side ofl record has been played) or projection |2|(when the front side oi' the record has been played),v thereafter by thetwisting effect of ball-plunger ||9 and groove 51 (when the rear sideofthe record has been played) or by ball-plunger- |20 and groove 58(when the front side of the record has been played) and nally byprojection IIE successively riding in grooves ||1 and ||6.

It will be observed that grooves 51 and 58 converge toward a commoncenter point on mushroom 33. This expedient results in smoothaction andlong wear. It will also be noted that i I the mushroom and gripperassembly are stabilized against twisting both beforeand after theninety-V degree turn is impartedto the mushroom and gripper assemblywhether `during record delivery or record return.

The ball-plungers |.I9 and |20 (Fig. 3) are" se-' cured to rods |32 and|33, respectively, mounted for slidable motion with respect to suitableapertures in platform portions ||4 and |64 offtrans-v Depending fromplatform` shaft |43 is displaced upwardly (Fig. 3) ball por? tion |38 ofcross arm I 35 is also displaced?v upwardly, whereby plunger |20 isplaced in prox-'- imity to groove 58 and in such a position as to causethe front side of a record;disc tol be placed in playing position. Ballend portion |31 of crossarm |36 then moves downwardly, also pushingrod-|32 downwardly andretracting ball-plunger l I9 from the locus ofgroove 51. Conversely, when shaft |43 and block |42 are displaceddownwardly ball-plunger |20 is retracted from the locus of groove 58 andball-plunger H9 is advanced toward the locus of groove 51', whereby therear side of a record disc is played. Shaft |43 is so controlled by therecord magazine that block |42 is in its down position whenever the lastmotion of the record magazine before the record attains transferposition is toward the rear. Similarly, when that last motion of therecord magazine is toward the front the block |42 is in its upposition.k The mechanism whereby the record magazine controls shaft |43in this manner is fully disclosed and described in the above-mentionedreissue patent and in my rst-mentioned copending application, so thatfurther description herein is deemed unnecessary. Y

For the purpose of providing a stop against which an edge of sector gear45 abuts during'the conditions illustrated in Fig. 2 a strong leafspring |61 is mounted on portion |68 of the transfer head 60 by screws|69 and |10.

It will be seen that in accordance with thisv invention there areprovided a novel scheme for guiding the mushroom at both the beginningand the end of the rotation of 'barrel 48 relative to the bore axis ofbearing |53Y and an improved and long wearing and smooth mechanism forimparting to the mushroom 33 and the gripper assembly 42 a ninety-degreetwist relative to the transverse bore axis of barrel 48 in the interim.Also there is .provided a positive, sure and reliable mechanism forcontrolling the positions of the ball-plungers ||9 and |211.Additionally, the invention provides the fiat cam 68 for spreading thegripper actuating members 59 and 'I2v and a simple, positive and suremechanism including the sector gears 45 and 5i! for obtaining therequired timing in the action of gears 41 and 52, whereby the recorddisc is gripped before transportation, maintained securely grippedduring transportation, and then released at the end of transportation.

While there has been shown and described what is at present consideredto be the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will beobvious to those skilled in the art, especially to those who have thebenefit of my contribution thereto, that various modifications andsubsti-` tutes of equivalents may be made herein without departing fromthe spirit Yof the invention andit is, accordingly, intended in theappended claims to cover all such changes 'and modifications as fallwithin the true and proper scope of the invention and without the scopeof the 'prior art.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In an automatic record changer of the type including a transferbarrel4 rotatably Vmounted .between a magazine and a turntable,` a firstpinion gear for rotating said barrel, whereby totransport a record discbetween magazine andturntable, means carried by said barrel andincluding a second pinion gear rotatable relative` to said first gear tograsp and release records, a mechanism for initially rotating :saidsecond pinion gear relative to said rst pinion'gear and thereafter todrive said pinion gears in synchronism and finally to rotate said secondpinion gear relative to said first pinion gear, whereby a record disc isgrasped before said transfer barrel is rotated andmaintairied securelygraspedduring rotation of said barrel and released when the rotation ofsaid barrel is completed, comprising a rst pivotally mounted sector gearformed with a slot having an enlarged elliptical central portion andstraight terminal portions for actuating said first gear, a secondpivotally mountedsector gear formed with a straight slot for actu'-ating said second pinion gear, the terminalportions of saidfirst-mentioned slot coinciding? with the ends of said straight slot,and means in-r cluding a pin mounted for circular motion and` projectingthrough said slots for driving saidsector gears, said pin closelyfitting said straightA slot and said straight-slot terminal portions',said pin and Aslots being sok arranged that the last-mentioned meansinitially and finally drives said first sector gear and said firstpinion gear alone as said pin moves with a component transverse to saidstraight slot and that said pin inter mediately drives both of saidsector gears andi both of said pinion gears as said pin moves with acomponent transverse to said straightslot terminal portions of saidsecond sector gear.-

2. In an automatic record changer, the combination in accordance withclaim l, a third pinion gear intermeshing with said rst pinion gear andsaid first sector gear, and a fourth pinion gear intermeshing with saidsecond pinion gear and said second sector gear.

3. In anY automatic record player a turntable,

a record magazine, a fixed transfer head support interposed between theturntable and record magazine, a transfer housing rotatably mounted insaid support, said housing including recordv gripping and releasingmeans, a driven` crank means mounted for rotation in Said support, gearymeans for intermittently oscillating said housing about an axisincluding a quadrant gear pivotally mounted to said support and-having acam surface therein, a gear driven shaft axially positioned in saidhousing' including rotatable means at its inner end for operating saidgripping and releasing means, a second quadrant gear pivotally mountedon said support in engagement with said gear driven shaft and `having aslot therein, said crank means in engagement with the said cam surfaceand the said slot in said quadrant gears whereby uni-directionalrotation of said crank means will intermittently and independentlyoscillate both said quadrant gears to grip and transfer a record fromsaid magazine to said turnatable and release -it thereon when said crankmeans is rotated.

4. In a record changer of the type including a fixed transfer supportinterposed between a record magazine and a turntable, a transfer housingrotatably mounted on said support for transferring record discs from themagazine to the turntable, said housing being provided with means at oneend for grasping record discs and with means at the other end comprisinga rotatable record-turning member arranged transversely to the axis ofrotation of said housing and swinging therewith, said turning memberhaving av plurality of converging grooves therein, a pair of selectivelyoperable plungers, and means for controlling said plungers, whereby oneor the other thereofl slidably engages one of said grooves and rotatessaid record-turning member, said plungers being operative to rotate saidturning member inopposite directions, wherein said turning member isformed with a transverse straight groove between said converging groovesand a pair of spaced projections, guide means projecting into saidgroove for guiding said turn- REFERENCES CITED ing member and preventingrotation thereof before vsaid one of said plungers rotates said turningmember, and guide irgans slidably re- The following references are ofrecord in the le of this patent:

ceiving one of said projections for preventing g, UNITED STATES PATENTSrotation of said turning member after said one Number Name Date of saidplungers rotates said turning member. Re.21,514 Green July 23, 19401,312,250 Holrnboe Aug. 5, 1919 ANTHONY M. KASNOWICH. 2,003,424Brandstrom June 4, 1935 10 2,205,268 Mitchell June 18, 1940

